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Advocates of Intelligent Design claim that the position of our planet and the complexity of particular life forms and processes are such that they may only be explained by the existence of a creator or designer of the universe. However, such claims are premised on (1) the arbitrary selection of features claimed to be engineered by a designer; (2) unverifiable conclusions about the wishes and desires of that designer; and (3) an abandonment by science of methodological naturalism.
Methodological naturalism, the view that natural phenomena can be explained without reference to supernatural beings or events, is the foundation of the natural sciences. The history of science contains many instances where complex natural phenomena were eventually understood only by adherence to methodological naturalism.
Whether one believes in a creator or not, views regarding a supernatural creator are, by their very nature, claims of religious faith and so not within the scope or abilities of science. We, therefore, urge all faculty members to uphold the integrity of our university of "science and technology," convey to students and the general public the importance of methodological naturalism in science and reject efforts to portray Intelligent Design as science.
This letter, drafted by faculty members Hector Avalos, Michael Clough and Jim Colbert, was circulated among faculty. Among the more than 120 people who signed the statement were:
Barbara M. Mack, associate professor, Greenlee School of Journalism and Communication
Roger D. Maddux, professor, Department of Mathematics
Surya Mallapragada, associate professor, Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering
Michael E. Martin, lecturer, Materials Science and Engineering
R. William McCallum, senior materials scientist, Materials and Engineering Physics, Ames Laboratory
Morris H. Mericle, associate professor emeritus, Electrical and Computer Engineering
Carl Mize, associate professor, Department of Natural Resource, Ecology and Management
Kirk A. Moloney, associate professor, Department of Ecology, Evolution and Organismal Biology
Megan J. Murphy, assistant professor, Department of Human Development & Family Studies
Alan Myers, professor, Department of Biochemistry, Biophysics, and Molecular Biology
Ronald K. Myers, professor Veterinary Pathology, Department of Veterinary Pathology, College of Veterinary Medicine
Marit Nilsen-Hamilton, professor, Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics
James H. Oliver, director, Virtual Reality Applications Center, director, raduate Program in Human Computer Interaction professor, Mechanical Engineering
John W. Patterson, emeritus professor, Department of Materials Science and Engineering
James Pease, assistant professor and Extension Wildlife Specialist, Dept. of Natural Resource Ecology and Management
Justin R. Peters, professor and chair, Department of Mathematics
Reuben J. Peters, assistant professor of Biochemistry, Department of Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular Biology
Carla A. Peterson, associate professor, Department of Human Development and Family Studies
Clay L. Pierce, assistant leader (Fisheries, Iowa Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit, Department of Natural Resource Ecology and Management
Barbara Pleasants, assistant professor, Department of Ecology, Evolution & Organismal Biology
James Pritchard, adjunct assistant professor, Department of Natural Resource Ecology & Management and Department of Landscape Architecture
Jill D. Pruetz, assistant professor, Department of Anthropology
Jim Raich, associate professor, Department of Ecology, Evolution & Organismal Biology
Mark W. Rectanus, professor of German Studies director, Languages and Cultures for Professions
Peter J. Reilly, Anson Marston distinguished professor in Engineering, professor of Chemical and Biological Engineering
Dirk Reiners, assistant professor of Computer Science and Human-Computer Interaction
Carl W. Roberts, associate professor, Departments of Statistics and Sociology
William S. Robinson, professor, Department of Philosophy and Religious Studies
John F. Robyt, professor of Biochemistry, Dept. of Biochemistry, Biophysics, and Molecular Biology
Ann E. Russell, affiliate assistant professor, Department of Natural Resource Ecology and Management
Ricardo J. Salvador, associate professor of Agronomy, interim faculty director, University Honors Program, director of Graduate Education, Graduate Program in Sustainable Agriculture
Joseph A. Schaefer, lecturer, Department of Aerospace Engineering
Klaus Schmidt-Rohr, professor, Department of Chemistry
Richard C. Schultz, professor, Department of Natural Resource Ecology & Management
Dan Shechtman, professor, Department of Materials Science and Engineering
Mack C. Shelley II, professor of Educational Leadership and Policy Studies director, Research Institute for Studies in Education, College of Human Sciences
William W. Simpkins, professor of Hydrogeology, Department of Geological and Atmospheric Sciences
Daniel Sipe, assistant professor of French, Department of Foreign Languages and Literatures
Giora Slutzki, professor, Department of Computer Science
John Smith, research associate, Department of Natural Resource Ecology and Management
Tony Smith, professor, Department of Philosophy and Religious Studies
John E. Snyder, adjunct assistant professor, Materials Science and Engineering Department
Steven D. Sorden, associate professor, Department of Veterinary Pathology, College of Veterinary Medicine
Matthew Stanley, assistant professor, Department of History, Program in the History of Technology and Science
Gary Michael Tartakov, professor of Art & Design History and interim director of African-American Studies
Patrica Ann Thiel, distinguished professor of Chemistry, Department of Chemistry
Kan Wang, associate professor, Department of Agronomy, Center for Plant Transformation
Ronald Jay Werner-Wilson, associate professor, Department of Human Development and Family Studies
Clark Wolf, director of Bioethics
William F. Woodman, university professor of Sociology, Department of Sociology
Xiaoqing Wu, assistant professor, Department of Geological and Atmospheric Sciences
